Midgard's Reluctant Queen
by Loki's Only Love
Summary: In the Avenger's Loki succeeded in taking over Earth and is now looking for his Queen but will she come willingly? And who does he have his eye on? Read and Review. Rating is subject to change.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING THAT IS FAMILIAR ALL CHARACTERS THAT ARE RECOGNIZABLE BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTED OWNERS EVERYONE ELSE BELONGS TO ME

A/N THIS STORY IS VERY A/U AND ALL CHARACTERS MAY BE OUT OF CHARACTER AND CAME ABOUT FROM A LINE FROM MY STORY REDEMPTION OR PUNISHMENT. PLEASE READ AND REVIEW :)

Prologue

He had done it. He had won and he done it without the Chitari. He had had no need to open the portal and had single handily taken down his foe  
without the help of the alien race. He had not needed their help in securing his throne.

He had taken down each of the Avengers separately by playing on their own insecurities. The archer had been the first to be turned to his  
side as he had turned his when he first appeared on Midgard. The female had been easy to turn after she had found out about her would be lover's  
defection. He had played on her insecurities of not ever finding love and the fact that she had killed too many people. In the end she too had fallen  
to the scepters power. The solider had been a little harder to convert but he had delved deep into the man's mind and saw his fears and questions  
as to why he was even alive. Once he had exposed those wounds, it had been easy to convert the Captain. The monster had been the hardest to  
convert seeing as there was no way of telling if he had succeeded or not in the conversion. Banner's temper had been his downfall. Stark had been  
the only one he had not been able to turn and he found out fairly quickly that it was because of the blue glowing thing in his chest. It had somehow  
prevented him from getting to the man's heart but that didn't mean that he couldn't get the man to comply with his wishes. It had been easy when  
he threatened to harm the mans female companion. The last one to be turned had been his most triumphant transformation. His brother. He had not  
known if the scepter would even work on an Aseir but it had.

A week had passed since the dissolving of the Avenger's Team. A week since he had claimed Midgard as his. He couldn't wait to begin his rule of the  
foolish mortals. Yet there was one mortal that he wanted, had wanted for the past year. She was the reason he had chosen Midgard of all the realms  
to conquer. It had been her image in his head that kept him sane when the Chitari had tried to brainwash him. Being the master of illusion it had  
been easy for him to fake the effects of the scepter. He wanted her and he would have her, but first he had to set up his kingdom and then he would  
claim his queen.

Thor was not the only one who had fallen for a mortal. For even though he had yet to meet her in person, Loki had fallen for the assistant of Thor's  
mortal lover. He had seen her through the eyes of the Destroyer when he had sent it to kill Thor the year before. He had seen her courage, her wit,  
her stubbornness, but most of all a beauty that she hid behind layers of clothes. Yes, Loki wanted one Darcy Lewis. He wanted to possess her. He  
wanted her for his queen, his wife, the mother of his future children. It had been his goal since he had first seen her though he knew from watching  
her that she was not going to come willingly.

He used his magic and in the center of Central Park he created his palace. It resembled the Golden Palace he had grown up in as it was the same  
color and size of his old home. Here Odin would not be able to cast him out, here he was in control. Here the mortals need not know of the monster  
that hid just below the surface of his outer shell.

His reign he hoped would not be one based on fear. Yes, he wanted the mortals to fear him as they should but he wanted to be a benevolent ruler  
whom they could come to with their problems.

Now, after a year, he had established his rule and it was time to claim his queen. The only problem it seemed was that she had all but disappeared.  
So he decreed that all females of child bearing age be brought before him in hopes that she would be among them.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1

Darcy looked around at the world around her. How things had changed in the two years since Thor's brother Loki had taken over their planet and  
defeated the Avengers. He had made the citizens all slaves to his will and was currently searching for a "worthy vessel in which to carry his heir." All  
fertile females were being brought to the palace and she was trying her best to avoid being brought before him. She knew that every female he saw  
he would immediately dismiss because she had it on good authority that he was looking for her. She didn't want to be the one chosen to be the  
mother of his heir because that would mean that she would have to become his queen and it seemed wrong to her that she would rule the very  
planet she was a part of. She didn't know why he had chosen her specifically but she was doing her best to keep from being found and brought  
before him.

Xxx

Thor and the rest of the enslaved Avengers stood before the throne.

"Why is it one female can elude the six of you? I asked you to find her and bring her to me and you stand here and tell me that you cannot  
find her? Must I do everything myself!?" Loki yelled at the five mortals and his former brother.

"She is an elusive woman sire. Why are you looking for her specifically, anyway? From what I hear she is no beauty. Perhaps she got wind that you were looking for her, Sire and doesn't wish to be found," Tony said trying hard not to give anything away knowing full well that Darcy wanted nothing to do with the new king.

"Well, I am looking for her. She is the one I have wanted this entire time and I will have her. Now go! I want her found by the end of today and  
brought to me no matter what time it is. Do I make myself clear?" Loki said turning from the group and striding away. He was angry that one simple mortal could elude him for so long and wondered who it was that told her that it was she he wanted as his queen.

They nodded and left the king to ponder the slyness of the one single mortal woman that he wanted above all others. Yes, the new king of Midgard  
wanted one Darcy Lewis with a passion that he could not understand. But want her he did and he had already decided that she was the one he  
wanted by his side as his queen. After seeing her three years ago through the Destroyers eyes he had wanted her. She was also one of the few that  
remained free from enslavement as he had not been able to use the scepter on her as of yet and the more he pondered it the more he did not want  
her under its influence. He wanted her compliant and wanting him.

Starks words made him think. Who could have tipped her off that he was looking for her specifically. Everyone close to the Avengers had already  
been put under the influence of the scepter so they were immediately ruled out. So who could it be? Who could have told her?

Xxx

Darcy could see Thor through the slats in the boarded up windows of her old dorm room. She knew that he was looking for her and tried to stay as  
quiet as possible as not to alert him to her presence. She was thankful that he had been the one to alert her to the fact that Loki wanted her before  
his brother had enslaved him. And seeing as now he was the one that was looking for her made it hard for her to keep silent. There was a part of  
her that wanted to just turn herself in and be done with all the hiding but there was a part of her that just could not do it. She waited until he  
walked away before she breathed a sigh of relief. She was free for a few more hours at least.

It had not been an easy road these past two years. Jane had been one of the first to become enslaved by Loki and the rest of the Avengers followed  
soon after. It had only been by some miracle that Thor had managed to tell her that it was she that Loki wanted as his queen moments before he too  
was enslaved and she went into hiding. It wasn't that she didn't want to be queen, what girl in her right mind would not want to be the wife of the  
very handsome new king. But she didn't want to be forced into it. She didn't want to become a mindless minion who followed orders to the letter.  
She wanted to be loved and cherished by the man she married. She wasn't even sure Loki knew how to love anyone.

Hopping from her old dorm room to her old apartment and back again the past two years had not been easy. She was lucky that there  
was an abandoned grocery store nearby that had been easy to break into, though she had loathed to do it. However, she had to eat and  
seeing as she had no choice, she had broken in. She only ventured out very late at night so as not to get caught as it was the only time of the day that no one was out looking for her. She was surprised that she had yet to be brought before Loki seeing as her dorm was only blocks from the golden palace.

She heard movement right outside again. She peered through the slats to see all six Avenger's and Jane standing right outside looking up at her building. It seemed to her that their eyes lingered on her window. She had to think and fast! She saw the device in Tony and Jane's hands and knew that it was a heat sensing locator and she didn't have to be told twice that it had located her position. Silently she got up and began the biggest game of hide and seek she had ever played in her life.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

She ran like the hounds of Hell were on her heels. Unlike her pursuers, she knew the campus very well including all of its hiding spots. But she wasn't sure if they would do her any good with the device that could locate her heat signature in their possession. She made her way to a drainage tunnel and quickly went down into it, making sure to cover up the opening once she was inside. She could hear them getting closer and ran to what  
appeared to be a dead end but was in fact a secret room she had discovered six months before. It had become one of her hiding spots which she kept stocked with enough food for at least a week. She pushed the unseen button and the door slid open. She slipped inside then closed the  
secret door behind her sealing herself inside the small hideaway.

Xxx

"She's gone!" Jane cried to the group in surprise. "The heat signature just disappeared!"

"How?" Stark asked perplexed.

"I don't know. But she knows this campus well. She went to school here so she knows all its secrets especially since it's been abandoned for the past year," Jane said trying to explain how Darcy could have just up and disappeared from their radar.

"Well, we have to find her! He is not going to be happy if we return once again empty handed," Steve said to the group, causing them all the nod in  
agreement.

"I say we split up and look for her. She couldn't have gotten very far. Jane where did you lose her signal? We will start from there," Natasha said  
trying to be practical.

"I lost it over there," she replied pointing in the direction of a very visible storm drain.

"Alright then we will start there," Clint said, walking over to the drain, the others following shortly afterwards.

They all made their way down into the tunnel and activated their flashlights so that they could see.

XXX

Darcy's relief was short-lived when she heard voices just on the other side of the secret door. She prayed to whatever deity would listen that they wouldn't find the switch. There was only one disadvantage to her hiding place, as it didn't contain an exit. Which effectivly trapped her where she was.

"Please don't let Doctor Banner go all green and mean, please," she prayed softly, then heard the familiar roar of the Hulk.

Normally she wouldn't mind seeing the Hulk but now was not one of those times. He was the only one who could possibly break through the wall  
and get to her. She could heard the pounding on the walls surrounding her and hoped that the walls were thick enough to hold off the big guy.

She heard the full group then and gulped. She knew they had her trapped and that her time was up. She debated just surrendering but decided against it, if they wanted her then they would have to come get her first. She didn't ask to be the object of the kings desire, she didn't ask for any of this. She especially didn't want to face a possibly irate king. Who knew what he would do to her for defying him for the past year.

"Darcy we know you're here somewhere. Show yourself," Jane called out.

'Like Hell, I will show myself!' she thought to herself at Jane's words.

"Lady Darcy, we mean you no harm," Thor called trying to comfort her in some way.

'Right, you only want to take me to the man who wants me to be his baby making machine,' she scoffted silently.

"Miss Lewis, don't make this harder than it has to be," Steve said.

'Any harder? You have me cornered with no way out!' came the voice in her head.

"I don't think she's here," Clint said, just as the device in Jane's hand came back to life.

"She's here, alright. She's on the other side of this wall," Jane said pointing to the wall in question.

"How could she have gotten behind there?" Clint asked, "We combed the entire network and we all ended up right here."

"There must be a secret door that opens up to the other side," Tony said logically, all the while looking for the lever that would open the door to the other side.

"So how are we supposed to get to her if she's hiding behind the door?" Natasha asked Jane, as she too scanned the surrounding walls for a possible button or lever that would open the door.

"We don't," Jane explained.

"What do you mean we don't? Jane, you heard what Loki said. We have to bring her in before morning."

"Yes, I am well aware what the king ordered, but she has to come out on her own."

"Well, she could be holed up in there a long time Jane. Especially now that she knows that we know where she is."

"True, but she does have to eat and if there is one thing I know about Darcy, it's she loves her food. At some point her stockpile will run out and she will have to come out. It might not be tonight but it will be sometime in the near future."

Knowing Jane was right, Tony told them that he was going back to inform the king that they had found her but she was holed up behind a wall. He was also going to tell the king that she wasn't going to come out no matter what they did or said to cajole her to do so.

Xxx

"Your Majesty," Stark greeted the king.

"Well, where is she?" Loki askedn obliously upset that Stark appeared without his prize.

"We have located her, Sire. Unfortunately, she is holed up behind a wall that Hulk was not able to punch through, though he tried."

"You are certain that she has no escape route?"

"Very sure, Sire. She has not moved from the spot since we showed up on the other side. She has basically trapped herself. Miss Foster has said  
that she will have to come out eventually to scavenge for food."

Loki was not happy to hear this for it meant that he would have to wait longer to claim his bride. He sighed, "I want someone watching her until  
she does make an appearance. When she does she is to be brought directly to me. I don't care if I am asleep at the time she will be brought to me.  
Am I understood?"

"Yes, Sir," Stark said then left the king and returned to the rest of the team to relay the message.

Xxx

One week later, Darcy knew that she was going to have to leave her hiding spot and give up her freedom. She was out of food, had been out for  
the past two days. She went to the door and with a heavy heart opened it to reveal the entire Avengers team and her former boss. She wished belatedly that she had chosen a different hiding spot, perferably one that had an escape route. She had not been thinking clearly when she had choosen that particular spot nor had she thought that they woud track her to it.

Xxx

Darcy found herself soon in the Golden Palace and kneeling begrudingly infront of the golden throne. She was made to wait for the kings appearence but didn't have to wait long as he soon appeared within moments of her arrival.

"Miss Lewis, you have caused me much grief in the past year, do you realize this," Loki fairly growled at the woman at his feet.

"I might," she replied heatedly, without looking up at him, even though she knew he was standing right in front of her, for she could see his boots.

"You need to learn your place," he spat.

Darcy was livid at this. Her place! He was the one who took over her planet and he wanted her to know her place.

"Leave us," Loki commanded and she heard the great doors shut as she was left alone with the livid king.

"Stand," he commanded her and waited for her to comply.

Darcy wanted to defy him futher, but decided it would be more prudent to do as he said. She knew that he was in a temper right now and didn't want to be punished further for her defiance. She slowly stood, making sure to take her time in doing so just to iritate him but still complying with his demand. However she kept her eyes lowered.

Loki noticed her slow response and knew she was doing it on purpose, however he was displeased to see that she had yet to look at him as he wanted to look into her eyes.

"Look at me!" he commanded and watched as she complied if unhurriedly.

When she finally looked Darcy was taken aback for a moment. She always knew that he was a good looking man but she had not expected to see the man before to be so terriffingly gorgeous. She could feel something stir deep within her but refused to believe that she wanted him in that way especially since she loathed him or did she?

He finally looked into her lovely colbalt eyes and could see many things playing within her expressive orbs. Fear, displeasure, hatred, confusion and a hint of lust all swam within her lovely eyes.

"Why do I see such hate in your eyes, my Lady?" he asked tipping her head further up as he stepped even closer to her.

She narrowed her eyes at him at that question. How could he ask such a thing! He knows why she hates him does he really expect her to answer him?

"Really? You ask me this? Do you have any idea what it's like to be hunted like some animal? I am human," she spat at him before continuing, "I  
do not wish to be queen, not if it means being controlled like all the rest of your reluctant subjects. And another thing, Your Highness, why choose me when there are women who would give their life to be where I am right now?!" she railed at him accusingly.

Loki listen to her practically yell at him and a smile came over his face then. A smile that had Darcy pausing to think about her situation.

"Do you have any other objection to being my queen than you not being controlled?" he asked amused.

She looked up at him then and realized that really that was not her only objection. "No, I don't love you!"

"You can learn to do so, my darling. Besides I do not want anyine else, I want you. As to why, it is quite simply really, but I think I will make you figure out that in time," he finished with a smirk.

Darcy looked at him bewildered. What ever could he mean?

"Guards!" he shouted and two men came into the room.

"Yes, Sire?"

"Take Lady Darcy to her chamber, you know the one in which I speak. You are also to stand guard outside her door. I am taking no chances on her  
escaping."

With that he dismissed the small group and sat on the throne to think about the woman who was now in his clasp.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I wanted to say that I am sorry this took so long for this chapter but it was giving me trouble and it is also the longest chapter to date ! I would appreciate hearing what you guys think of it so please leave a review :)

Also a big thank you to my beta Hippogriff-Tamer for all her help and putting up with the two rewrites i had to do with this chapter...

Chapter 3

After being dismissed from the king's presence the guards took hold of Darcy's arms and led her away. She wanted to fight them but soon realized  
she had no strength in which to do so. So instead she began constantly asking them where they were taking her and what the chamber was that the  
king didn't want her to escape from. After a good five minutes they ended up at the door which the guards opened for her to reveal a chamber she  
was sure was made for a queen.

"My Lady," they said bowing to her as she was escorted into the room.

Darcy took in the huge room and then asked them in whose room was she in, though she really didn't expect a reply, given that she had asked them  
already and they had remained silent on the issue.

"You are in the chamber the king had prepared especially for you, my lady," they answered her then after making sure she wouldn't make a run for it  
left to guard her door.

Their answer surprised Darcy and she did a quick once over of the room again only this time really looking at it. The room was huge! The decor was  
in royal blue and gold with a huge four post canopy bed covered in a royal blue comforter that dominated the space. She knew that the bed was  
larger than any bed she had ever seen which would make it larger than a standard king size. She wondered silently why she would need such a large  
bed for just herself but shrugged off the thought to continue looking around the room. She could see that there was a sitting room right off the  
sleeping chamber and walked toward it. On her way she passed the open doors of a very large dressing chamber which was filled to the brim with  
clothes fit for a queen. She staggered back from it for a moment finally realizing in whose room she was now in. Figures, she thought to herself. He  
would put her as close to him as possible. She knew from history books and other means that the queen's chamber was always next to the kings. She  
went back to the bed and sat down to think about how she had ended up where she now was.

True she had not put up much of a fight when she showed herself to the Avengers. She attributed that to having had nothing to eat in two days as  
she was too weak from hunger to protest much. That and she really was tired of hiding. She didn't know how many times in the past week she had  
just wanted to give up and give in but her stubbornness would not let her. It had taken its toll on her that was for sure. Hopping from one place to  
another was tiring. She had also thought long and hard in the week she had been holed up in that little room about her life.

She went back to the time she spent holed up in that room wondering if giving in would just be the better option than the constant running she had  
been doing for the past two years. It wasn't like she wasn't attracted to Loki for she was, though she was loathed to admit it especially now that she  
had seen him in person. But the fact remained that she didn't want to be put under the influence of the scepter he held like the rest of the  
population. He couldn't be all that bad if Thor still held a deep affection for him even after everything he had done to not only himself but to Earth as well. She thought about the conversation she had with Thor right before he had been taken and she went into hiding.

_Flashback..._

_"Darcy, you are the one he wants," Thor said gravely as he looked at her with sadness but also with hope._

_"What so you mean he wants me? Why? I am nothing special," she said panicking._

_"I do not know why my brother has singled you out Lady Darcy but he has and it's you he wants to make his queen."_

_"I don't want to be queen!" she said her voice rising in her panic._

_"I know you do not and I cannot blame you for not wanting it. I know there's still good in him, Darcy. If you truly do not wish to be queen then I_  
_suggest you stay hidden from his sight. He will hunt for you, trust me on this. He wants you and only you though there is no telling as to why as he_  
_has not met you and yet it is you that he has his sights set on. If you were to become his queen you could restore him to the man he once was but I_  
_understand your reluctance but promise me you will at least think about it."_

_Darcy wasn't sure what to make of Thor's words since they seemed to contradict themselves but she could read the sincerity in his eyes and knew_  
_that he truly thought that there was still some good left in Loki. "Thor, I cannot be his queen. I understand that you think it would benefit him but as_  
_of right now I just can't do it. He would put me under his spell just like the rest of the planet. Even now he hunts for not only me but you too."_

_It was after she said those words they heard the turned Avengers speaking and Darcy with one last look at Thor, who seemed to have decided to give_  
_up his own freedom to aid in her escape, turned and went into hiding._

_End of flashback..._

Darcy still thought of that conversation and now that she had met the king in person she knew that Thor was right. Loki did still have some good left  
in him though it had been hard to see given his fearsome presence but there had been a flash of goodness and tenderness in his eyes when she had  
looked at him that had tipped her off. Maybe Thor was right. Maybe she could redeem Loki. But she immediately shrugged the thought away. She  
still didn't want to be queen but she was beginning to think that she was not going to have a choice in the matter. He would force it on her whether  
she wanted it or not. She may have been a political science major, though not yet graduated. She should start applying what she had learned. She had been trained in the political and what was more political than ruling the entire Earth?

She stopped thinking about everything for a moment to look around the room once more trying to see if there was a way out. She saw a door on the  
opposite wall from the bed and walked over to it. Opening the door it revealed another bedchamber only this one was done in green and gold and  
she knew immediately to whom the room belonged. Loki. He had put her in the Queen's Chamber just as she thought. If the clothes in the dressing  
room had not given it away, walking into his personal bedchamber had. She closed the door that led to Loki's chamber. Her heart was beating rapidly  
at her discovery and she laid a hand over it to try and calm it. She had noticed that there was no lock on the door and grew nervous. He could come  
in at any time he wished, which didn't help her nerves at all and hoped that he wouldn't try anything because of it.

She went back to the bed and wondered if she would be fed anytime soon. Surely he wouldn't starve her to the point of accepting him, she thought.  
Just as she was about to ask the guards if she could have something to eat when Jane came into the room carrying with her a tray of food.

"Lady Darcy," Jane greeted politely.

Darcy was thrown off by the greeting. This was not the Jane she knew. This Jane was more a servant than the proud scientist she had once been.  
Seeing her friend like this, she realized that she wanted to free all the people of the scepters power. If Loki truly wished to rule this planet with her  
by his side then he would do so the right way, this was something she would have to speak to him about.

"Jane, you know my name, please do not call me by that title," Darcy pleaded with her old friend.

"I apologize my lady, by the way have you tried on your wedding gown yet?"

This information came as a shock to Darcy. "What wedding gown?" she stammered.

Jane who could see that her mistress was in shock by the information went into the dressing room and came out with a beautiful white and gold  
gown.

Darcy could only stare at the offending dress in Jane's hands. She had been right he was going to force the marriage on her whether she wanted to  
marry him or not. She sat down and put her head into her hands and tried hard to keep her emotions in check. After a few minutes she looked up at  
Jane and asked, "When exactly is the wedding?"

"Tomorrow night," Jane replied before returning the gown to the dressing room.

Darcy really did want to cry then. By this time the next day she would be married to a man she neither loved nor respected and all because he  
wanted her.

Jane left and Darcy sat and thought about what had just happened before her hunger got the better of her and she devoured the food that had been  
provided. After eating she decided to bathe since she hadn't in a long while and she was sure that she smelled horrendous. Locating the bathing chamber off of the dressing room, she quickly bathed then found a suitable nightgown and crashed onto the bed, sleep taking over in moments of laying her head of the satin pillow.

Xxx

Loki sat in his throne room thinking about the woman whose room was right next to his own. He had chosen that room for many reasons but the  
foremost reason had been so he could keep her as close as possible to him without having to worry about her possibly escaping as his room and  
hers were both guarded day and night. He wondered how he could make her trust him without using the scepter on her. He didn't want her under its  
influence but if she didn't comply then he would have no choice in the matter. Loki would never admit that he had loved her, had for a long time now, but she would not believe him if he told her and he wanted her to love him. He wanted to be the one to make her smile. He wanted to see love and not pure hatred shining in her beautiful blue eyes.

He had chosen her for many reason and not just because he had fallen for her the moment he saw her. No, he wanted her because she had been  
trained in what the mortals called political science. She had been trained to be diplomatic, which would serve her well as his queen. He grinned and  
left the throne room determined to visit his soon to be queen.

He walked to her door where the guards stood and Jane was removing the tray he had had sent to her. He stopped her.

"Miss Foster, has she eaten?" he asked indicating the covered tray in Jane's hands.

"Yes, she is sleeping right now, Sire," Jane replied then added as an afterthought, "I did tell her about the wedding. She seemed very upset by the  
information." She left after a dismissal nod from the king.

Loki walked into the room to find that Darcy was indeed asleep. He walked over to the bed and gently caressed her cheek before leaning down and  
placed a tender kiss to her brow. Straightening, he left through their connected doors. When the door closed behind it he whispered, "Sleep well,  
my love."

Xxx

When Darcy awoke the following morning she was greeted by Jane once more.

"Jane," she called out to her former boss as she turned to leave the room after once again bringing her something to eat.

"Yes, Lady Darcy?"

"Why do you call me that? It's just Darcy you know that," Darcy said.

"Because that is what we were told to address you as," Jane replied and left the room.

Darcy sat down exasperated. She couldn't even have a decent conversation with anyone anymore because of the scepter's power over them. This  
only made her more determined to free them of its influence.

One of the guards then entered the room and told her that the king wished to speak to her and she got up and left with them.

Once in the throne room she was greeted by a casually dressed and surprisingly mortal looking Loki. She couldn't hide her surprise at seeing him  
dressed so human like.

"I see I have surprised you, my dear," he greeted with a grin.

"Well, yes….that is…you look so different," was all she was able to get out. She was having a hard time resisting this Loki. In his Asgardian gear he  
was intimidating and fierce looking but dressed as a normal human man he was gorgeous and really attractive. She did try to keep her expression as  
neutral as possible trying to show her indifference to him and not how attracted she was to him if unwillingly so.

He knew the effect he was having on her as he looked at her face he could read her desire and could see her fighting it. This only made him want  
her more and considering that she would be his by the end of the night made his inward grin grow even larger.

"Shall we go for a walk?" he asked offering her his arm which he was not too surprised to find that she didn't take.

"Why can't we just talk here?" she asked when he lowered his arm back to his side with a look of disappointment written across his features.

"Because I thought it would be good for you to get out of the palace," he replied.

"Oh, but here is fine. I see no need to leave the palace to have this talk you wanted to have," she returned stubbornly.

He wanted to scream at her to follow his orders but instead took her arm and led her out to the gardens despite her protests.

She huffed when they finally entered the garden and he removed his hand from her arm. Darcy rubbed it to displace the strange tingling she  
felt where he had touched her. "So what is it you would speak to me about? The guard said you wanted to talk to me."

"I understand that Miss Foster told you about our wedding which is taking place tonight."

"Yes, she did," Darcy replied with venom in her voice. She still was not happy about the news.

"You don't seem very happy about the prospect of marrying me. Why is that?"

She turned and looked at him with a look of wonder. How could he ask something like that? He knows exactly why she didn't want to marry him or  
was it he chose to forget her explanation from the night before?

"Loki, I told you last night why I don't want to marry you. Why are you asking me this again?"

"Because your explanation was not good enough, my dear. You said that the only two reasons you didn't want to be queen were that you didn't want  
to be put under the scepters spell and that you didn't love me. I don't see how those two reason are enough to keep me from making you mine as  
soon as possible."

Darcy wanted to scream out in frustration. "But..."

"No, my dear. You have had your freedom these past two years and now it's time you take your place at my side. You will be mine tonight Darcy make  
no mistake about that."

Her heart sank with the realization of what he had just said. If what he said was true then tonight he would be sharing her bed or she his unless she  
could think of a way out of it. It was one thing to be married to him but it was quite another to give herself over to him forever.

"Loki..." her voice quivered with nervousness.

He heard the quiver in her voice and knew that his decree sent the look of dread that fell over her lovely features. He sighed knowing he was being too hard on her and thought that maybe he could allow her to adjust to her new role before he commanded anything physical from her.

"Darcy, you don't have to fear tonight. For now you will only be my wife in name but in time that will change. I know that you do not love me and even though I want you I can wait until you are ready to give yourself to me. I do not expect you to give yourself to a stranger. I want you to get to know me and I you, before we are to join together physically, that is if you are agreeable to this that is."

"I...Loki...I honestly was not expecting this. I would appreciate the time to get to know you, though I will make no promises that my hate for you will  
degrade in that time," she said after the shock had worn off.

They continued to walk side by side for a while in complete silence when Darcy spoke, "Loki there is something I would like to ask of you and I do not think it too large of a request and I know that you can grant it if you really want to."

"And that would be?" he asked quietly.

"I want you to release everyone from the scepters influence."

Loki looked at her like she had grown another head. Was she crazy? How could she ask him something like that? It would be impossible for him to  
continue ruling without the scepter's influence on the population or would it? When he looked at her he could see determination written in her eyes  
as well as pleading. Yet, when he thought about it, it wasn't that big of a request and if he did it would endear her to him which was his main goal.

"I can't do that and you know it, my dear," he tried to reason with her.

Darcy grew quiet and then a look of anger came over her features which terrified him for a moment. "And why not? It's not like you have to have the  
people under your spell to rule! Look at me. I am still your subject and so is Stark and we are both free of its influence," she yelled.

He was taken aback for a second and then saw that she was right. She and Stark were the only ones not under the scepters spell and they still  
served him, even if it was begrudgingly. "I will think about it," he told her trying to placate her ire.

She really hadn't expected him to say yes after her tirade but if it helped the people then she couldn't complain too much about it. At least he would  
think on it which for her was a start in the right direction.

"Darcy, may I ask you something?" he asked after another long silence.

"It depends on what that question is, I suppose, but go ahead and ask," she said curious to know what it was he would ask her.

"What exactly is you opinion of me?"

With everything he could have asked this was not it. Darcy stared at him for a full minute before answering him.

"I see you as the conqueror of my world, my prison guard and soon to be husband, if that is what you are asking," she answered truthfully.

"So you see me as a monster?" he probed.

"I didn't say that, Loki," she said wondering why he what ask that.

"But it was implied was it not? I am holding you basically a prisoner here."

"True but that doesn't make you a monster. Loki, what are you trying to say? Do you want me to see you as a monster?"

"Well no, but it is what I am and I always have been," he said sadly.

The sadness in his tone stopped Darcy in her tracks and she turned towards him, "Loki, you are many things...the conqueror of my planet, my prison  
guard, the ruler of my world, the master of the inhabitants of this world, my soon to be husband, but you are in no way a monster!"

"And how would you know that?" he asked just as sadly as before.

"You know what, you want to say you're a monster then fine but until you prove to me that you are I will not believe it! You haven't used that scepter  
on me and you could have easily done so, you fed me when you could have let me starve, you haven't tried to trick me. In fact, you have been very  
honest with me which I know goes against your personality. So tell me again, how this makes you a monster because I for one can't see it!"

With her words he turned away from her and turned into his Jotun form but kept his back to her. Darcy who was curious walked around him to see  
his face to gauge for herself his self-loathing. She was not expecting to see that he now had blue tinged skin with raised designs on his face or that  
his eyes now glowed an eerie red.

"Loki?" she questioned careful to keep her voice calm and soothing.

"I told you I was a monster, my lady," he said sadly.

"Loki, May I ask exactly what are you? I mean I know you are not exactly human but what are you?" she asked softly.

He was surprised that her voice held not an ounce of fear but curiosity and looked at her with his red eyes. "I am the cast out son of Laufey, former  
King of Jotunheim and the adopted son of Odin. As you can see and accessed yourself I am not human. I am a Frost Giant though I am small for my  
species and no one knows why."

"And this makes you a monster?" she questioned confused.

"On Asgard yes. Children are told stories about the giants of Jotunheim to make them behave. I myself grew up with these stories never once knowing that I was one of them. It was a fluke that revealed my true identity to me."

"I still don't see how that makes you a monster, Loki. I mean yes, you may be a different race but that doesn't make you a monster. You grew up  
believing these stories but they can't be that horrifying can they? The Frost Giants that is."

He really looked at her then and saw compassion written all over her face. She didn't see him the way nearly the entire nine realms did and it made him fall even deeper in love with her.

"Darcy, in time when you get to know me, I will answer your question but not right now. Come, let us return to the palace. It is nearly time for our wedding and you must get ready."

With that they returned to the palace and Darcy couldn't stop thinking about what he had said. Even though she was not looking forward to marrying him, she did find that she looked forward to getting to know the man that walked beside her.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4

Jane helped Darcy into her gown she was to wear for her wedding to the king. She had to admit that the gown was lovely but she still was not looking forward to the wedding itself. When she was finish dressing she looked at herself in the mirror. The dress was old fashioned but it was still very beautiful. It was in the old world style; something she had seen in the museums medieval section but still it looked very good on her.

"Lady Darcy, it is time," Jane said, drawing her out of her thoughts.

Darcy could only nod as she was led to the throne room where she would not only be married to the king but also be crowned queen. She took a deep breath before taking the first step into the throne room alone. Every step she took seemed to drag as she slowly made her way to the king's side after the giant gold doors opened to allow her entrance into the room. She noticed that he had changed back into his Asgardian armor and, even though she found him quite intimidating in his armor, she had to admit he looked good in it. She finally reached his side though she really just wanted to run but knew that it would be useless to do so as he would only have her brought back to his side by force. When he took her hand she tried not to let the strange tingling she felt when he touched her affect her but it was becoming difficult. What the sensation was she didn't know but she was curious. She looked out to those that had gathered to witness the union and cringed when she saw all the Avengers there as well as a few others that she did not recognize. So lost in her own thoughts she barely heard the priest asking if she was going to take Loki as her husband for better or worse and it wasn't until she felt him lightly squeezing her hand that she answered in the affirmative. She mentally cursed herself for not putting up a fight but she really didn't want to cause a scene; especially with the Avengers all looking on with smiles on their faces. Then there was the fact that her refusing the king would have done just that.

The priest announced them husband and wife and she was surprised when Loki presented her with an apple; and not just any apple but the golden apple of immortality. She knew what the apple signified as she had read about it in the book Eric had procurred when they had first met Thor and she could do nothing but stare at the fruit that was being presented to her by her new husband. The apple itself was the same size as a normal apple only it was a shiny, metalic gold color instead of being a plain apple. From the way he was holding the fruit she quickly realized that he wanted her to take it from him but she could not make herself do so. She knew what that particular apple could do and she didn't feel that she was worthy enough to take it. The fruit knew somehow if you were worthy enough to gain immortality or not and if not well you wouldn't be around to find out.

"Take it," Loki said softly.

She shook her head fear racing through her. She couldn't believe that he wanted her to take a bite of that fruit knowing that she might not survive. Why? He had chased her down, caught her, married her and now he wanted to kill her? It made no since to her.

"I can't," she whispered, fear very evident in her voice.

"Darcy, take it. You will not die. I have it on good authority that you will not."

She still could not bring herself to take the offending fruit from his hands.

"Please my love, just take it. I promise no harm will come to you," Loki pleaded not realizing that he had called her his love.

The pet name did make Darcy look up at him sharply. She searched his face for a moment before slowly taking the fruit from his hands. She looked at it wondering if he was telling the truth. Death would be the ultimate escape from her current situation but she didn't want to die at least not yet. Swallowing back her nervousness, she hesitantly placed the golden fruit to her lips and then took a bite.

Loki watched as his bride took the fruit from him then raised it to her lips. He knew that she was afraid of what it would do to her. He knew no harm would come to her because he trusted the person who had told him to give her the fruit. He watched as a soft golden light began to encompass his wife's form before fading away. A few precious moments later she looked up at him. He wanted to crow in triumph. She was now his for eternity. The evidence was there for all to see in her eyes; as they had a light golden ring around the blue, as was normal when a mortal was accepted by the fruit.

The priest then told him that he could kiss his bride. He noticed the stiffening of her body at this but she wasn't pulling away from him which he took as a sign that she would accept the kiss he was about to give her.

Darcy stood there waiting for the kiss she was sure she was going to hate but the kiss she received as gentle and almost loving in nature. A kiss that conveyed his deepest feelings. Feelings she was trying to come to terms with. Could it be that he really did love her? And why did her body feel like it wanted more from him than a simple kiss? Why was it that his kiss had ignited a strange feeling within her? Why was there a fire within her belly that was slowly making its way lower? Questions kept swirling around in her head as he pulled back and looked at her with a deep tenderness within his eyes.

She then heard the priest begin speaking again and she again answered in the affirmative though she wasn't sure what she was answering to until she felt a weight being laid upon her brow. A crown. She had just agreed to becoming queen! Once crowned she asked to be allowed to return to her room which was surprisingly granted. She hurried through the halls to her chamber. Once there she closed the door and leaned against it laying a hand to her pounding heart. Married!

Married! Married! Married! Kept repeating itself in her head over and over and over again. The fact that she had not put up much of a struggle on the outside did not go unnoticed by her. She cursed herself for giving in so willingly! Now she was queen! She ran to her bed and threw herself on it allowing herself to cry for the first time since she had been brought before the king her crown tumbling off in the process. She cried for her lost freedom, for her friends that were still under the scepters power, for the fact she was married to a man that was not exactly human. She cried for Loki and the pain she had seen in his eyes earlier during their walk in the garden. She felt compelled to comfort him and she didn't understand why. She fell asleep still in her wedding gown.

Xxx

Loki watched as his queen made her escape understanding that she was probably overwhelmed by everything that had happened to her in the past few days. He found himself wanting to go to her but knew that he would not be received favorably. He accepted the congratulations from those that had witnessed the wedding and coronation before he decided that he needed to make sure that she was alright. He left the throne room determination written on his features. He made his way to her chamber and knocked at her door. When no answer was forthcoming her entered only to find that she was sound asleep. Upon closer inspection, though, he could see the dried tears on her cheeks. His heart clenched at the sight wondering if she would ever truly come to care for him as he did her.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5

Two weeks. Two weeks she had been married. Two weeks she had been trying to talk to her husband to find out what was needed of her as queen.  
Two weeks of being avoided for some reason. She had yet to find out anything new from him and the fact that he seemed to not want anything to do  
with her after all the work he had put into getting her was confusing. In the two weeks she had been queen she had learned very little about her  
new role other than the one book that had been sent to her by her husband the morning after they had wed. Yet, the book really didn't tell her  
anything she didn't already know.

Shaking her head, she headed out of her chamber and asked the guard at her door where the library was. The guard directed her to it and she  
thanked him before heading off in the direction he had given. The sight that greeted her when she arrived shocked her. Her husband, whom she had  
never seen looking so vunerable as he did at that moment, was sitting by the fireplace with his head in his hands. He looked upset about something  
though she had no idea as to what it might be since he had not seen fit to confide in her, which irked her to no end.

"Loki? Are you alright?" she asked approaching him quickly and kneeling down in front of him, hoping that he would look at her and tell her what  
was wrong.

Loki heard the concern in her voice but he could not make himself look at his wife whom he longed to pull into his arms and just take comfort from  
her embrace. Yet, he knew that that was not going to happen anytime soon. He had been avoiding her since their wedding. Not because he wanted  
to but because he had to. Anytime he got close to her, a part of him wanted to just make her his. To claim her as was his right. It was a struggle he  
had endured for the past two weeks and would continue to endure until she allowed the contact he craved between them. He feared that she would never return his feeling. The bond between them was strong, he knew for he could feel it, though he doubted that she could or ever would.

"I'm fine, my dear. There is no need to worry about me," he said still not looking at her.

"Loki. You are lying. There is something wrong. I don't know how I know only that I do and I want you to confide in me. I am your wife and as such  
you should be able to tell me anything. I know that this marriage is not what I wanted but it is something you wanted. Now tell me. What is  
bothering you?" she said urging him to tell her. She was confused as to why she could feel his distress and the fact she knew he was lying about how he was feeling but she would think about that at a later date. At the moment she needed to get him to talk to her.

"You," was the only thing he said. She barely caught what was spoken as it was said so softly it was only slightly below a whisper.

She was taken aback by his answer. Her? What had she done to cause him so much obvious pain?

"I'm sorry…..I don't know what I have done to cause you to feel the way you do but I am deeply sorry that it has affected you like it has," she said trying to figure out exactly what it was that was causing his to feel this way about her.

"My dear, you haven't done anything wrong. It's just that when I am near you I want to claim you as mine. The urge only gets stronger the longer I  
am in your presence."

She blushed scarlet at his words then countered, "Well, why don't you do something that will take your mind off me and onto something  
else?"

He smiled faintly and she noticed that when he did his face seemed to take on a softer look and decided then and there that he needed to smile  
more often.

"And what, my queen, would you have me think about to take my mind off of you?"

"Well why don't you tell me about yourself? After all, you said so yourself you didn't expect me to sleep with a stranger and as of right now  
you are exactly that even if we are married." Besides, she told herself, maybe this way I will finally get some answers to what my role really is.

"So what did you want to know?" he asked trying to distract himself from her alluring scent. A scent that had been haunting him since he had married her. The same scent that had kept him apart from her these past two weeks becasue all he wanted to do was claim her every time he breathed it in.

"Well, since you have already told me that you are a Frost Giant by birth and adopted by Odin tell me about your childhood," she said smiling  
encouragingly at him.

He nodded and then asked her to sit by him as she was still kneeling before him. She did as asked though hesitantly as she was still wary of him. After she was settled by his side he began.

"As I told you before, I was adopted by Odin as an infant. He brought me from Jotunheim to Asgard and reared me as his own son. I am younger than  
Thor by a few years and we grew up playing together in the halls of Odin's Golden Palace. We were the best of friends for the longest time and I  
often played tricks on him and his friends as a child. Frigga, who is my adoptive mother, was always the one parent I felt closest to and I figured  
it was because I had more in common with her than with Odin. She taught me how to handle my magic once it began to show."

"Make no mistake, I did love my family and would have protected them with my very life and if I am honest with myself I would still protect them  
with my life. Though now, I am sure that I would be chained and sent to the deepest dungeon Asgard has if I was ever to return. Odin is not very  
forgiving and he is very stubborn."

He paused and she asked, "Loki, is that why you came to Earth instead of going back to Asgard in the first place? I mean you had the power to  
do so. Was taking over my realm really that important to you?"

"You have to understand, Odin told Thor and I all our lives that we were both meant to be kings though only one of us would ever sit on Asgard's  
throne. So yes, I suppose that is why I did not chose to return back to Asgard after I was revived by the Chitari and given the scepter. Thor was  
promised the throne of Asgard and I was left with nothing. So yes, I did choose to rule Midgard instead as it was the only realm of the nine that had  
no singular ruler ruling over the inhabitants. I also chose it becasue of you and the fact that it was dear to Thor."

"I see. But why did you choose me? And don't tell me I have to figure it out on my own like you did last time I asked."

He was taken aback by her words not sure if he should tell her the truth or not. "Darcy, you are asking something of me that you are not prepared to  
hear the answer to."

"And what would that be Loki? I know you care about me. I can see it every time you look at me but I want to know if it runs deeper than that. The  
reason I am asking is because at our wedding when you pleaded with me to take the apple you said my love. Now do you or don't you love me? It's  
okay to tell me. I will not be offended by the admission. I have seen you interacting with people around the palace and I am now less inclined to think ill of you. You can be cruel at times but then at other times you are caring. I have seen this in the two weeks that you have avoided me. I have observed your behavior in that time and I can safely say that you are a man I can come to care for," she said softly, voluntarily taking his hand in hers.

"Darcy," he whispered her name before turning to look at her. "I have loved you from the moment I saw you."

"And when was that?"

"When I sent the Destroyer to kill Thor when he had been banished by Odin. As acting king at the time I was able to see through its eyes and I saw  
you. I never understood why I was so drawn to you but I was and still am obviously, but I did fall for you right then and there. From that time on I found myself searching you out. I knew where SHIELD had moved both you and Miss Foster when I came through the Tesseract into their base camp and took the archer and your friend Dr. Selvig hostage. You see I can project and image of myself through time and space and onto any plane I wish and no one would be able to detect me spying on them. This is how I garnered the information I needed about your location. I knew you were here in New York and it was my goal to get here as soon as I could so that I could claim you. I know that it might sound a bit harsh but it's the truth."

Darcy was trying to digest what she had just learned. She had a feeling that he loved her but to hear him say it out loud made her heart for some  
odd reason jump for joy. She didn't know why she liked knowing that he loved her but she did and she wondered if she was beginning to like him if  
only a little.


End file.
